Losstars

“Dear diary,

My life has always been like any other royal before me, as far as the dresses, food, treatment, and of course living in the stone palace. However, its also been very lonely. Because of my wings, I was taken from my mother upon birth and raised by a governess instead. Even if you thought that wasn’t too bad, it gets worse. My father hates me, and has forced me to live in isolation, inside the highest tower of the palace my entire life. The only true blessings I can think of count up to a total of three: My governess, who has always been kind to me and treated me like her own, doting on me every chance she gets. My tower window, which allows me to see my floating city made of stone and all its people. And my birthdays, which are the only times I briefly get to see my mother, and the only time I receive anything from the outside world except for books, linens, and clothes. I have always loved my mother, even with how rarely we see each other, and she has always found little ways of showing me she loves me, even with our distance, so even though she’s never been a large presence in my life, she’s always been there and has constantly kept me in mind and heart, and I look forward to every time I get the chance to see her.

I am most looking forward to tomorrow however. Tomorrow will be my 210th Birthday; the day I will be recognized as a full fledged adult and can no longer be forced to the confines of this tower, or at least I hope so.”

…

There was a knock on the door to my chambers just as I slipped my diary back in between the folds of some of the linens left in my closet for storage. I quickly came to the center of the room and called, “You may enter!” The doors soon after opened, before my governess entered and closed them behind her.

“Good day, Princess Lyculia. I trust you are well?” She greeted with a smile, making her way over to me, who was still in my bed clothes.

“Yes, Miss Blanch, I am quite well, and ready for dressing at any time.” I responded with a smile. Clothes could be quite tricky with wings. Many spring and summer dresses just used strings for the backs of gowns to simplify the process for commoners, but because I am a noble, everything extravagant, hot, and exceedingly difficult to put on is all I am allowed to wear, requiring the aid of a servant when it comes to dressing. Never the less, Miss Blanch never complained, and happily aided me get properly attired.

“I saw the queen this morning, Princess.” she attempted at small talk while we began the long process.

“Really?!” I exclaimed in excitement, almost causing her to fumble the strings.

“Stay still, my lady!” She scolded.

“Yes! Sorry, Ma’am.” I apologized and corrected my posture post haste.

She chuckled and continued, “Yes, and she is highly looking forward to her visit tomorrow. If I remember correctly…” she mused, “she said ‘Tomorrow is a special day! Everything has to be perfect, and I will only give her the best.’ I told her she always does and she downright laughed at me!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. While Miss Blanch was always so gentle and loving towards me while still keeping her stern streak, she always had to maintain that sternness when she served the rest of the palace. It was not often someone mocked or teased her. “Oh I’m so happy! And excited… and nervous! Oh, I just don’t know how to feel.” I said, feeling many emotions welling up inside me.

She finished the laces in the back before coming around front to take my hands and comfort me gently. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine. I’m sure of it!” She said with a smile I had come to love dearly. It was one that I couldn’t help but be relaxed by, and I nodded back to her, a part of me settling down from her kindness. “Now, we simply must do something about those wings!” She chided and released my hands, moving for my bedside table and motioning me to follow. I did so, and she picked up the brush, gently combing the fine hairs on my wings until they were settled down enough that they shined smooth in the daylight. “That’s better.”

I gave them a flutter, just enough to make sure nothing was amiss before she turned to another subject. “Shall we move on to your classes?” I nodded and we left the bed chamber for a small room catty corner to it, with a desk, chair, and glass pane inside. We began with history once situated, and as the day went by, moved on to language, arts, etiquette, and other such mandatory teachings. I am grateful for them, don’t get me wrong, they make me the intelligent individual I have become. Though they can be a little boring at times.

By the time we were finished, lunch and the afternoon had already gone, and I was left with my evening hours to do as I pleased before dinner, bathing, and bed. It was at this time that I loved looking out my bedroom window the most. The city was usually covered in a lovely red orange color as the sun was nearing its set before the three moons would shine brightest, and the people were bustling to and from their shops and homes as the market was soon to be closing. However, while I loved watching those things, they were not what I enjoyed looking at most at this time of day. My favorite thing was gazing out at the edge of the city, where the two largest trees made mark of the stone steps that once connected our kingdom in the sky to the land below.

…

It was roughly two thousand years ago when the Lahnari and the Fenilla first met. A Lahnari had been brave enough to leave the sky and fly to the land below. It was through this bravery that he met the first Fenilla. Though they both were leery, they eventually met half way and began communicating. The land below was far more dangerous than the Lahnari had expected after all, and he needed help to survive while he explored the land. The Fenilla agreed to aid him, and even introduced the Lahnari to his people, culture, and survival tactics on the land of Lubella. It is said that they lived and shared knowledge with each other for over two hundred years before the Lahnari finally returned home.

When he returned home and shared everything he had learned, it rejuvenated the scattered Lahnari of the isle in the sky. He taught them to build, and grow, and they went from a people of carnivorous barbarians, to a civilization. They named him their king, and he became known as King Artellion Lycule the first, the king of courage.

After the kingdom was completed, the Lahnari often visited the Fenilla, but they longed to also be able to visit the Lahnari in the sky, unable to because their butterfly wings were too fragile. So together, the two peoples built a massive stone bridge to link the two worlds together forever, and the peoples entered into what they hoped would be a peace treaty between brothers for all time.

However, that time sadly did not last. As time progressed, it became increasingly clear that even though they were at peace, bitterness and social barriers were taking hold. The Fenilla had named one of their own as tribe elder, the highest honor in their eyes, and the one who would make talks with the Lahnari King, whom was his best friend and like a brother. The people did not want to mingle once they got what they wanted from each other, and slowly began hurting the other until civil disputes were occurring more and more often. It got to the point where the two leaders came to a dispute over their peoples, and who was right or wrong. Of course neither could admit that they could be wrong and their dispute led to war. The war has continued ever since, the only thing stopping it from being at either one’s doorstep, is the rift in the bridge made after a large battle, and the Lahnari’s superiority complex keeping them from even wishing to set foot on the land below.

…

As I gazed at the two trees, I searched for the figure I usually saw draped at the base of one. The Gatekeeper. He was a strange and unique male, for he was the only Fenilla that had ever been permitted into the kingdom of Lahria since the war began. One day, he just flew up from below and managed to land on the upper half of the great bridge. From there, he merely walked up the steps until he reached the gates, and was stopped by my father, the recently crowned king and grandson of the first, followed by his men. Somehow, the Fenilla was able to convince my father not to kill him, and they came to an agreement that he could stay so long as he never truly entered the kingdom and guarded the bridge so that no others could come up like he had. He was brought food daily and had been named the Gatekeeper, and has been there for roughly one hundred years now.

Rumors say that he is like me, a Fenilla that does not belong because he has Raven wings. But I know the rumors are true, because I’ve seen them. It is only during this time of evening that I can make him out, standing from his position under the tree, but when he does, he spreads his huge feathered wings, and soars into the air, absolutely breathtaking. However, for whatever reason, tonight, he wasn’t there.